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Friday, September 4, 2009

Rescue health care reform from scare slogans


President Obama and thoughtful Americans of all political persuasions have discovered this to their dismay: A calm, orderly and adult discussion of the nation's health care reform needs is no match for incendiary scare slogans such as "death panels" and "health care rationing" scripted surreptitiously by health industry corporations that stand to lose their grip on profits.

Like panic in a crowded theater when someone shouts "Fire!," hysteria has spread from one congressional town hall to the next as misinformed voters shouted down substantive changes that would put the brakes on the skyrocketing costs of American health care and would provide care for the uninsured.

Among the most influential demagogues in this sorry abuse of the democratic legislative process, Dick Armey, former Republican House majority leader, has even convinced followers of his propaganda that "health care is a privilege, not a right." Would anti-reform cheerleaders be among the privileged in Armey's vision of health care?

President Obama now has decided to throw himself into the debate with a special speech before a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

With his popularity polls now sinking below 50 percent and talk turning to pointless compromise with Republicans who want to gut reform's most vital element—a public insurance option—Obama must use this 11th-hour counterattack to regain the initiative from naysayers by forcefully persuading Congress that the nation cannot postpone reform any longer. Delay and watering down reform are the seeds of defeat.

In less than 40 years, since 1970, health care as a percentage of the gross domestic product has leaped from 7 percent to more than 17 percent.

Obama must change the debate vocabulary. "Public option" is too professorial. "Choice" in insurance is clearer. To criticism that his plans involve a "government program," the president must not hem and haw—he must point fingers at the demagogues and remind voters that Washington already has successful insurance programs in Social Security, Medicare, housing loans, pension protection and more.

President Obama has brought intelligence, knowledge and the literacy of a gifted speaker to the White House. However, plain, commonsense talk that any John or Jane Doe can understand is now required. President Truman's man-in-the-street style comes to mind.

If the president fails in his premiere social program, then his ability to enact the rest of his agenda will be targeted by the same fearmongers for defeat.


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There are 24 comments


The comments below are from the readers of mtexpress.com and in no way represent the views of Express Publishing Inc.
Anon.
09/05/09 - 21:14

Health care reform starts here: www.youtube.com . Diseases can be cured with simple, specific radio frequencies. This would eliminate many drugs: antibiotics, chemotherapy, etc. Because it threatens the profits of the pharmaceutical industry, you will NEVER have access to it. Health care "reform" starts with the surgical removal of the profit motive. Period. Eat your vegetables.

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS
09/05/09 - 10:45

~ WHEN THE LAUGH OF $ATAN WA$ HEARD IN THE PEOPLE$ HALLS OF U$ CONGRE$$ ~

THIS OLD WORLD ORDER OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF OUR POORER AMERICANS NEEDS ENLIGHTENED POLITICAL MINDS AND HEARTS TO VIEW GOD DIFFERENTLY THEN $$$…. NO MATTER WHAT THEIR POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION ???

WHEN WILL OUR WEALTHY ELITE AMERICANS ABATE THEIR ASSAULT ON POORER AMERICANS WITH THEIR MONETARY CONTROL OF OUR IVORY TOWER U.S. CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER ???

THERE ARE NOT MANY MORE DISTRACTIONS LEFT WHICH ARE AVAILABLE FOR OUR WEALTHY ELITE AMERICANS TO HIDE BEHIND IN NOT TAKING PROPER CARE OF ALL OUR AMERICANS IN A HUMANE FASHION !!!

RALPH NADER ATTEMPTED TO EDUCATE AMERICAN VOTERS ABOUT U.S. CORPORATE POWER IN AMERICA AND HOW THEY CONTROL OUR CONGRESSIONAL PEOPLE THROUGH THEIR POCKET BOOK (POLITICAL DONATIONS). * WITHOUT THE DOUGH $$$ THESE U.S. CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD DO NOT GET RE~ELECTED TO CONGRESS.*TO STAY IN POLITICAL OFFICE IN AMERICA,ONE HAS TO BARTER YOUR VOTES IN CONGRESS AND REPRESENT POWER INTERESTS IN RETURN FOR THE BUCK$.

POORER AMERICANS HAVE NEVER HAD THE $$$ LOBBY TO INFLUENCE THIS CORRUPT POLITICAL CONCEPT (of horse trading political votes for political contributions) TO ACHIEVE PROPER HEALTH ~CARE OR LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR ALL OUR MIDDLE ~ CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS.

*** WEALTHY ELITE AMERICANS (WHO ARE ONLY 1% OF OUR USA POPULATION) SADLY ALSO CONTROL HOW OUR U.S.CONGRESS SPENDS THEIR BUDGET TRILLION$ AND HAVE OBVIOUSLY FOUND MORE WORTHY INTERNATIONAL CITIZENS THEN OUR OWN DESPERATE AND NEEDY POOR TO ASSIST !!!

~Poorer Americans Nationwide only get 400 million $$$ per year for legal representation allocated them by CONGRESS~

Middle Class and Working Poor Americans are unable to afford proper legal representation in their Civil, Criminal and Family Courts of law all across America causing tremendous hardships nationwide,but these great minds and callous hearts in our American Congress have found others Worldwide more needy then their own citizens who are being falsely incarcerated,wrongfuly executed,losing their homes or apartments,losing child custody or visitation with their children etc�

Not being afforded proper legal representation by our U.S. Congress has created a total breakdown of the American judicial system for our poorer Americans because the our U.S. Courts punish all of us little people if we are not assisted with proprer legal counsel.*It is a known fact that our average Middle Class and Working Poor Americans without proper legal representation in all of our American Courts of law lose their legal cases to the better financed who are able to afford lawyers.

Lawyers For Poor Americans is now actively in the hunt for International Countries and Leaders Worldwide to help raise 5 Billion Dollar$ for our slighted poorer Americans who have had their own American Congress turn their backs on their desperate needs in not affording them proper legal representation.

Troy Davis and Mumia Abu ~ Jamal are 2 perfect examples of American citizens who never had proper legal representation or defense investigations afforded them by our U.S. Congressional Leaders Of The Free World in their initial criminal trials in (Georgia and Pennsylvania) who might very well have to pay the ultimate price of possibly being completely innocent and falsely executed in the near future.

These two poorer Americans are among tens of thousands of legal cases nationwide that never were afforded proper legal representation or proper defense investigations at their initial trials……**We the public really have no idea if these men are innocent or guilty until they both are given fair legal representation at their new future trials.

Improper murder trials take place in Third World Countries all the time. *** Why should average Middle~Class and Working Poor Americans in the Wealthiest Country Of The World be treated as if they are living a Third World Life Style ??

This is the first of many www International pleas by Lawyers For Poor Americans for other leaders and countries to help raise the needed monie$ to correct these blatant injustices that have been inflicted on poorer Americans for the last few decades.

Lawyers For Poor Americans has many other written articles that can be viewed with any www search engine by our name or our telephone number.

Lawyers For Poor Americans is a www lobby group of volunteers that sing out about the decades old neglect,abuse and injustices being inflicted on our poorer Americans that have become Crimes Against Humanity issues for the International World Court to investigate.

lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com
(424-247-2013)

Win73
09/05/09 - 08:03

Paranoid ? Hardly. I am still waiting for Obama to remove, and or give up those government power grabs implemented by the Bush Crime Family and their infamous torture loving hit man Dick Cheney...Oh no, he just wants more theft of our Liberty's as well, and watching this Administrations moves and refusal to relinquish those power grabs of the last eight years, as well as the last sixteen years, like NAFTA and GATT.. Lets just remove all manufacturing and Industrialism off shore, I'm thinking the CFR is president instead of the slick talker..Since all them boys belongs to that club now don't they..Your insinuation of exploding brain cells and improper herb use is duly noted and shuffled over to the " I got nothing else but slander for you" file.. P.S. You don't get to be a member of the CFR if you don't agree with the clubs rules...Gee I wonder if that's why Repub presidents never remove bad stuff dems presidents did, and dems presidents never remove bad stuff repubs presidents did.. wink wink, is that clear enough for ya.. Maybe you should stop being " Party Blind"...And use your brain cells instead of letting them control them cells bro..

RH – Hailey
09/04/09 - 23:22

"If health care is passed by the most villainous most evil group of people in the history of this county and "he wants to take our freedom" You obviously were asleep over the past eight years. These guys are evil and Dick Cheney is a nice guy. I knew there were a lot of drugs in the county, but this level of absurd thinking is incredible! I take it those are really good herbs!!!!!! I suspect a few brains cells have disappeared along the way. How did you ever get this paranoid?

Reply to RH
mpc
09/05/09 - 20:53

Dear RH:
I saw what Bush was doing. He was spending money like a democrat. And he was fighting a war agaist people that blew up the world trade center. What he did not do was to vote to have babies that were born during an abortion, killed. He did not want to harvest organs against peoples wishes. (At least the present administration is willing to wait till the non-approving organ donors are dead) He did not hold Hugo Chavez as a shining example of how to silence dissent by shutting down news orginaizations, thus trampling on the first ammendment. He did not hire a czar to be in charge of scientific developement that advocates eugeinics and the forced sterilization of the populace through poisons in the drinking water. And he did not advocate a civilian army every bit as powerful as the army. He did not say that in times of emergancy the life of a twenty to forty year old person is more valuble that their younger or older counterparts. No, Bush did not do or advocate any of these things. Barack Obama and his hand picked czars have done and said all these things.. You accused me of being asleep the last eight years. My advise to you is to wake up now. Our country is in serious peril. Everything that this president is advocating is meant to cause ruin, injury and pain. And all these policies are harmful. That is the definition of EVIL!!!

Why does our president need a civilian army? How do you answer that question. I have a clue for you, it has nothing to do with Bush.

Win73
09/04/09 - 13:51

Didn't this Greg ghost post several blogs ? Have you seen anyone take the time or make and effort to disprove him using factual data to defeat him with ? Nope, it did not happen because you can't beat him, so you slander him instead..

We are not doomed, the crooks are doomed, they have doomed themselves..This political system as you know it is doomed.. No the sky will never fall, the Earth is going no place.. But you Liberty is a on fast track outta here...

And you will not lift one damn finger to stop it.. You will not even clear you minds and attempt reality...

If Greg ghost is so stupid and far fetched what the hell are you waiting for, go kick his stupid butt then, should be a cake walk for you super intellectuals to do...

You don't leaders, you need yourselves..

Susie Bloomer
09/04/09 - 13:19

To all of you that are calling London - (Greg Farfetched) remember that he might be right and we are all doomed. No need to get out of bed in the morning. The world is totally contolled by a very select group and they have already put their plan in place and we are toast. Goodbye!

Rome D'Hills
09/04/09 - 09:27

London & McNegative are the two best bloggers here. The County is trying to hire them to review every decision made in Blaine County. They will complain and whine anyway so better to run it by them up front.

Reply to Rome D'Hills
brian mcnary
09/04/09 - 23:40

Man, I know how you feel. Forced into being a hostage and thus a victim, left with no resort other than to launch seething and anonymous counterattacks. They make some good prescription drugs for anger and anxiety. You may be due for a refill.

Win73
09/04/09 - 08:24

Did the Express higher "Howdy Doody" it sure appears they did.. Maybe the Express writer's just want free meds..

What Soviet Medicine Teaches Us
mises.org

Reply to Win73
reply
09/04/09 - 11:09

Do you know Greg or Rebel or London, cause you sure sound alot like those guys?
I think you guys wear similar hats, made out of tinfoil!

Reply to Win73
Win73
09/04/09 - 12:04

Hey reply

I would love to see you say that to Greg in person, I've been to London, and we are all three rebels, while your still the same duped under graduate you always were...

Cheers

Reply to Win73
mpc
09/04/09 - 13:23

Great article at mises.com, I advise everyone to read it. (Then you all should go to the library or amazon etc. and read everything you can find written by Ludwig von Mises) It is so obvious, it is staggering. What boggles the mind most of all is that there are people in this country that refuse to see it. The last president, in this country, that tried such radical change, was FDR. Every member of his cabinet was an avowed socialist. Every member of his cabinet went to Moscow and met with Stalin, for the Soviet propaganda tour. They were impressed with Soviet experiment and implimented those policies in this country. The people of this country suffered ten years of depression and unemployment. Well the soviet experiment failed and now nearly everyone in the world knows that communism does not work. Except for our illustrious leader and his cabinet of czars. Why do they insist on taking us down this road when every sane person, who is not brainwashed, knows it will fail? What is his motivation? Does he know nothing of history or economics or the history of economics? Are we as a people going to suffer through another great depression because of this tool? Or are we going to throw the bums out?

Reply to Win73
reply
09/05/09 - 13:24

Winless,
Wish I could say it to his face...and yours, too.

Reply to Win73
Win73
09/05/09 - 14:57

reply

May all your wishes come true..

bz
09/04/09 - 08:10

I got as far as "thoughtful Americans". So, the protesting "people" can't be "thoughtful Americans". More trash!

hsr0601
09/04/09 - 02:37

Theme : Today is the time to boost health mileage just like Nissan Leaf and GM Volt.

Time doesn't fix the ceaseless greed and energy exhaustion for certain. Faced with these challenges, current generation is to build a bridge for generations to come, and it will be for both, too. By converting Incredible waste in health care system into funding for the uninsured young adults, both generations are better off after all, otherwise, Medicare and Medicaid system are also facing insolvency.

Similarly, by weaning off fossil-fuel dependence as part of trimming the trade deficit (over 2/3 of which is caused by importing oil), all generations are enjoying the benefits of long-lasting peace and job generation together, as Nissan Leaf and GM Volt that made a long-awaited innovation are coming to marketplace soon, the other developers that come in a range of 200 to 300 miles between charges are on fast-tract toward mass-market, as well.

With this promising health reform combined with a balancing function for price inflation in operation, Chevy Volt, too, is earning competitive edge in price along the way, together with Nissan Leaf. I think it's of great importance to note that world-wide overpopulation that keeps surging and energy shortfall thereof doesn't allow inefficiency and waste.

When some part of our body is ailing seriously, we are losing competitiveness, equally, when some part of a nation is ailing servery, it is losing competitiveness, too

jas
09/04/09 - 01:42

Holy Cow Batman! Did this author just cite Social Security, Medicare, and housing loans as successful insurance programs run by the Government? Ummm, last time I checked Social Security is on course to completely collapse by 2025, Medicare is overrun by fraud, and, well, we all know how good a job Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac did with housing loans. Please, if you are going to write these editorials you should remove your head from your rear end first. mpc, great response. Thanks

mpc
09/04/09 - 00:54

Do you even believe the lies you are spewing. I especially like your pre-closing comment about about intelligence knowledge and literacy. All I have to say to that is , turn the teleprompter off.

Sorry abuse of the democratic legislative process? Last I heard, there were safegaurds against the minority ramming bills through without debate. Since when is a democratic legislative process lying about health care when all the bill is about is a political power grab of a majority of are economy. This bill will reduce the cost of health care, this bill will not cause rationing. Two aurguments of the left, both lies. If you want to hear more lies listen to the supporters of this bill try to convince you it is a good thing. All they will say will be lies. Dick Armey had it right, where in the constitution does it say that the federal government should provide health care? The answer; nowhere. The constitution actually list the powers that the federal government may have, and health care is not in there. (Neither is education by the way) If health care is passed by the most villainous most evil group of people in the history of this county, who, for some reason, the editors of this paper support, then the court cases about the constitutionality will sideline the legislation for years. This bill is so unconstitutional that only a Harvard educated constitutional scholar could even think about passing it. (Maybe he is a Harvard educated constitutional scholar, he never released his records.)

The thoughtful people are on my side of this aurgument. Health care should not pass. The arrogant, power mongering eletist morons are on your side. The ones who think the american tax payer is too stupid to notice that they are being taken advantage of. The elected officials that think they are too important to listen to their constituents. Well their constituents noticed. The taxpayer is not an ATM machine for any con artist that wants to steal their money.

Five, six months ago, I predicted Obama's aproval rating would be in the low forties by September. I predicted that, because I knew what kind of guy he was. I knew that on the campaign trail, he was lying. He is not a moderate, he is a radical. He is no longer a blank sheet, upon which, any hopey changey dope can paint their own versions of hope and change. The People are beginning to see him for what he really is. His polls would have fallen more, I am sure, had more people been paying attention. Still he has the lowest popularity, of any president, in the first year of office, in the history of this country. And it is not because he is black. It is because he wants to take our freedom. If he had an aurgument, he would have made it. He wanted this bill passed quickly, because he knew it would have no support. He can't tell people what is in it, because he doesn't know. He can just tell us that the opposion is using scare tactics. If George Bush had tried the stuff this guy is trying, he would have been and should have been, impeached by now.

This is the greatest test of our constitutional government since the civil war. It is time to choose sides. I choose the constitution and freedom. And I assume by reading your editorial, that you choose tyranny.

Reply to mpc
Win73
09/04/09 - 08:33

Well struck, give me Liberty or give me medications till I die.. ha ha

Seriously dude, nice reply..The hope is more will choose our side..versus the side of evil..

London..

Reply to mpc
uhave noidea
09/04/09 - 08:58

M and London,
You guys are a hoot.
Love the "our side...versus the evil side" comment.
Haaa!!!
You're owned...insurance company CEO's love you guys!

Reply to mpc
mpc
09/04/09 - 09:29

Dear uhavenoidea:
It was fun to write that greeting. The insurance companies love big government. Why do you suppose there are limits as to where one can purchase insurance. Well, uhavenoidea, is it because insurance is such a difficult business that compitition doesn't exist in the free market? Is it, uhavenoidea, because capitalism creates monopolies, run by unscrupulous people, whos only motive is greed? Or, is it, uhavenoidea, that large insurance companies lobby memberrs of congress to pass laws forbiding competition? Historically every time there has been unfettered compitition and free markets, prices have gone down. Any time there has been government intervention in the market place, prices have gone up. The only way we can reduce costs for our proginy, is to get the government off our backs. If there were more compitition in the insurance industry, even poor people could afford insurance.

Reply to mpc
Win73
09/04/09 - 12:30

Hoot hoot

Actually the Insurance crooks hate me, I don't need their insurance ever, it is called responsibility your own responsibility. But if you want to baby sit fast food trash eating soda pop slurping cig smoking couch potato tv watching city smog breathing people, please be my guest, just leave my wealth out of it.. I obey these laws of nature >

Walk, hike, eat raw vegys and fruits, eat less meat, eat hemp seed, drink clean water..learn herbs and flowers, study on the healing powers of raw organic cayenne, Olive leaf extract, licorice root, raw garlic, boneset, stinging nettle, hunt, fish, ..ski baby..Then you will have the best health care in the world, your own personal responsibility, of course as i said already you can pay to send all the low IQ dumbs who disobey this knowledge to the Medical Cartels but lets remember Herbs have been used for centuries to cure ailments and ease health problems. This is the natural way and remember the Medical Cartels utilize plants/herbs before making synthetic TOXIC drugs.

I don't need a baby sitter why do you..

Reply to mpc
mpc
09/04/09 - 13:37

Well it is good to stay healthy, but people do get sick, and everyone dies. Sad but true.

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